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THE
STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT /
THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF |
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TO: |
The Honorable
the Members of the Board of Regents Cultural
Education Committee |
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FROM: |
Carole F. Huxley |
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SUBJECT: |
Recommendations of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries |
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DATE: |
April 24, 2006 |
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STRATEGIC
GOAL: |
2, 3, 4 and 5 |
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AUTHORIZATION(S): |
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Executive Summary
Issue for
Discussion
How can the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries (RAC) and the Regents work together to sustain library funding increases achieved this year?
Proposed Handling
This question will come before the Cultural
Education Committee on May 22, 2006 for discussion. The Regents Advisory Council
chair will present the RAC report. Following that presentation, the Committee
will have the opportunity to question the Council members and to discuss their
recommendations in detail.
Procedural History
The Regents Advisory Council
on Libraries, the oldest continuing Regents advisory council, advises the Board
on issues concerning library policy, works with the officers of the State
Education Department in developing a comprehensive statewide library and
information policy, and makes recommendations to the Regents for implementing
library programs and initiatives.
Background
Information
Each year the members report
directly to the Board on their activities, concerns and recommendations.
Your Regents Advisory Council
on Libraries includes community leaders and library leaders who study and review
library services to New Yorkers, discuss options with elected officials and
engage the Regents in establishing priorities. A list of the RAC members is
attached.
Recommendation
The Regents should accept the RAC report and
work with its members to implement it as circumstances
permit.
Timetable for Implementation
Implementation should begin immediately
leading up to the 2007-2008 budget and legislative
priorities.
REGENTS ADVISORY COUNCIL ON LIBRARIES
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF REGENTS
May 2006
The members of the Regents Advisory Council on Libraries
appreciate this opportunity to meet with the Regents and outline the key issues
that are critical to libraries - public, school, academic, and special - in
Preparing
•
A recent addition to the library schedule provides Homework Help at the Library three times a week from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., in which volunteer students from grades nine through 12 work with third- through eighth-graders.
• Western
Why do we need to continue to fight for libraries and ensure that they have adequate support? Because libraries represent a major force in addressing the following issues:
• Encouraging and helping all parents to read to their infants and toddlers. Recent brain research shows that if children do not experience the basic building blocks for literacy as infants, they will never be fluent readers by the time they reach third grade.
• Improving student achievement. Strong school libraries with certified librarians, quality collections and expanded Internet access raise student test scores and achievement levels; yet elementary schools are not required by law to have librarians.
• Increasing students’ information literacy skills and training them in research techniques. Too many have a propensity to cut and paste materials from the Internet rather than follow the steps required in research.
• Ensuring that college and university students have access to libraries with high-quality collections, services, and staff. A shocking statistic shows that only 31 percent of college graduates can read a complex book and extrapolate from it.
We congratulate all the Regents for the leadership that
resulted in an increase of nearly $20 million in Library Aid in the
2006–07 State Budget, including $2.7 million, based on the 2000 census with
hold-harmless to calculate aid, $3 million for the library systems and
$14 million for public library construction and renovation. We
are grateful for your achievement in securing increased funding for these
Regents priorities, and we add our thanks to Regents Dawson and Bowman for
leading the Advisory Committee’s successful visits with legislative leaders.
Even
with the progress made this year,
The Regents Advisory Council is seeking support from the Regents in advancing the following priorities that will confront the issues above:
• An increase to $30 million for public library construction, building on this year’s successful achievement of $14 million in new funding.
• An increase of $14 million in funding for NOVEL (Fifty percent of school libraries do not have access to the NOVEL databases.)
• Expansion of the Statewide Summer Reading Program.
• Increased funding in 2007 for the Urban Library Initiative and support for the formation of public library districts.
Special Regents Action Recommended:
1. Advance library priorities by inviting citizens to talk about the importance of libraries with legislators.
2. Help all libraries succeed by providing support for State Library experts to assist libraries and for the library systems statewide, which provide the backbone of library services.
We are very gratified that libraries remain a Regents priority and that the Regents engage in legislative advocacy for libraries. We hope that you will continue to ensure that libraries are discussed at the meetings you attend and in statements to the media. We pledge to continue in our role of calling attention to the needs of New Yorkers for 21st century library services.
November
2005
MEMBERS OF THE REGENTS
ADVISORY COUNCIL ON LIBRARIES
Member (term
expires)
Ms. Ellen
Bach (2009)
Attorney
Whiteman,
Osterman, & Hanna, LLP
One
Commerce Plaza
Albany,
NY 12260
(518)
487-7736 Fax: (518) 487-7777
E-mail:
ebach@woh.com
Ms. Mary
Lou Caskey
(2008)
Director,
Mid-York Library System
1600
Lincoln Avenue
Utica,
NY 13502
(315)
735-8328 Fax: (315) 735-0943
E-mail:
mcaskey@midyork.org
Ms.
Ginnie Cooper (2009)
Executive
Director
Brooklyn
Public Library
Grand
Army Plaza
Brooklyn,
NY 11238
(718)
230-2403 Fax: (718) 398-3947
E-mail:
g.cooper@brooklynpubliclibrary.org
Mr.
Leonard T. D’Amico (2010)
Partner
The D
& F Group
19-02
Whitestone Expressway
Whitestone,
NY 11357
(718)
747-8700 X14 Fax: (718) 747-8800
E-mail:
ltdrealestate@aol.com
Mr.
Norman J. Jacknis (2009)
Chief
Information Officer
Department
of Information Technology
148
Martine Ave.
White
Plains, NY
10601
(914)
995-2976 Fax: (914) 995-2999
E-mail:
norm@jacknis.com
Mr.
Timothy V. Johnson (2007)
Librarian
for Africana Studies, Anthropology & Food Science
New York
University Libraries
70
Washington Square Park
New York,
NY 10012-1091
E-mail:
timothy.johnson@nyu.edu
Ms.
Lucretia McClure* (2006)
Special
Assistant to the Director
Countway
Library of Medicine -Harvard Medical School
10
Shattuck Street
Boston,
MA 02115
(617)
432-2635 Fax: (617) 432-0693
E-mail:
lucretia_mcclure@hms.harvard.edu
Ms.
Cerise Oberman (2006)
Dean of
Library and Information Services
Feinberg
0211
SUNY
Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh,
NY 12901
(518)
564-5180 Fax: (518)
564-5100
E-mail:
obermacg@plattsburgh.edu
Mr.
Samuel L. Simon (2010)
Trustee,
Ramapo Catskill Library System
2
Salisbury Point 6C
South
Nyack, NY
10960
(845)
358-1825
E-mail:
snesimon@optonline.net
Dr. Karen
Patricia Smith (2007)
Professor,
Queens College
Graduate
School of Library and Information Studies
Rosenthal
Library – Room 254
65-30
Kissena Blvd.
Flushing,
NY 11367
(718)
997-3790 Fax: (914) 997-7197
E-mail:
Alice31smith@optonline.net
Ms. Carol
Tauriello (2008)
Director,
Erie 1 BOCES School Library System
355
Harlem Road
West
Seneca, NY
14224
(716)
821-7070 Fax: (716) 821-7292
E-mail:
ctauriello@e1b.org
Mr.
Irving Toliver** (2007)
Director.
Human Services Department
Town of
Huntington
Huntington,
NY 11743
(631)
351-3067 Fax: (631)
425-0746
E-mail:
Itoliver@Town.Huntington.ny.us
*Chair
**Vice
Chair
Staff:
Janet M. Welch
State Librarian and Assistant Commissioner for Libraries
(518) 474-5930
Loretta Ebert
Director, New York State Library
(518) 473-1189
Carol Desch
Coordinator, Statewide Library Services
(518) 486-4862
Pat
Webster
Associate, School Library Media Services (EMSC)
(518)
486-2228